Unlocking the Joy of Comprehension in Early Literacy
In this inspiring episode, literacy expert Diane Snowball delves into the transformative power of teaching comprehension in the foundational years (F-2). She underscores that comprehension is not just about understanding words but unlocking meaning, purpose, and the joy of reading. Diane shares practical strategies for educators and parents to nurture confident, thoughtful readers who engage deeply with texts.
Diane begins by celebrating the enduring value of reading aloud, even as children become independent readers. She emphasises its role in modelling comprehension strategies like questioning, predicting, and visualising, and turning shared reading sessions into opportunities for rich discussion and wonder. Parents, she notes, can keep reading enjoyable and purposeful by focusing on open-ended questions such as, “What are you picturing as I read?”
Choosing the right books is another cornerstone. Diane encourages educators and families to explore curated recommendations from trusted sources like Trevor Cairney’s blog and specialist bookstores. A mix of engaging fiction and nonfiction builds diverse comprehension skills and exposes children to text features like headings and diagrams.
In classrooms, Diane highlights the importance of integrating comprehension strategies naturally rather than teaching them in isolation. From inferring character motives in I Want My Hat Back to using nonfiction visuals for deeper understanding, the strategies come alive when applied authentically. She also champions teaching text structures, such as recognising the sequence in a recipe or the narrative arc in a story, to build confidence in approaching varied texts.
Diane concludes with a call to action for educators, families, and policymakers to prioritise access to quality books and teacher training. By working together, we can ensure every child discovers the magic and power of reading.
Takeaway for Teachers: Embrace comprehension as a joyful, meaningful practice. How will you spark curiosity and connection in your readers this week? Share your reflections!
READ THE BLOGHERE
RESOURCES
- Duke, Nell K., Ward, Alessandra, E. and Pearson, P. David. (2021) The Science of Reading Comprehension Instruction.
- Duke, Nell K. And The Science of Reading Progresses: Communicating Advances Beyond the Simple View of Reading
- Kambach, Anna Elizabeth and Mesmer, Heidi Anne. (2024) Comprehension for Emergent Readers: Revisiting the Reading Rope.
- Melissa and Lori Love Literacy Podcast, Episode 66: Re-thinking the Reading Rope with Nell Duke.
- Science of Reading: The Podcast, Season 3, Episode 10: Deconstructing the Rope: Language structures with Kate Cain.
- Sedita, J. (2020, May 16). Syntactic awareness: Teaching sentence structure (part 1). Keys to Literacy
- Timothy Rasinski - Fluency Rubric
- Trevor Cairney Blog
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FURTHER INFORMATION
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